Thesis (MCom)--Stellenbosch University, 1969. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: no abstract available / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: geen opsomming

Thesis (MComm)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Recently countries have become more aware of the potential anti-competitive effects of anti-dumping measures. This is mostly due to the view that anti-dumping measures, as trade policy instruments, are at odds with the objectives of competition policy. According to many economic writers the only rational economic justification for anti-dumping measures is predatory dumping as an extreme form of price discrimination. Apart from the dramatic change in the economic justification for the use of anti-dumping measures over the last decades, there has also been a significant change in the countries that implement these measures. Since the Uruguay Round of Multilateral Trade Negotiations there has been a shift from developed countries to developing countries being the main users of these policy tools. In the last couple of years the member countries of the Southern African Customs Union have been under increased pressure by private firms to enable the use of anti-dumping measures on intra-regional goods trade. However, the appropriateness of utilising these measures on intra-regional trade in the context of a custom union has been a contentious issue in recent economic debate. These measures erect trade barriers among the member states which are against the basic premise of a customs union. This has resulted in most economists calling for the prohibition and replacement of anti-dumping measure with either coordinated domestic or harmonised regional competition policies. In developing the regional and national policies on anti-dumping the SACU member states can follow two main stream approaches. The first is the incorporation of various competition principles into anti-dumping rules to limit the negative welfare and anti-competitive effects of utilising anti-dumping measures, while the second is the abolition of anti-dumping measures in the region which is then replaced by competition policy. The option best suited for SACU depends on the differing viewpoints on implementing anti-dumping measures in a customs union. However, irrespective of which policy combination is chosen, regional and national polices and authorities will have to be created, adapted and/or amended in order to have an effective interaction between anti-dumping and competition policies applicable to intra-regional trade. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Lande het ontlangs meer bewus geword van die moontlike negatiewe uitwerking wat maatreëls teen storting van goedere in markte kan hê op plaaslike en internasionale mededinging. Dit is hoofsaaklik as gevolg van die siening dat teen-stortingsmaatreëls, as instrumente van handelsbeleid, se doelwitte teenstrydig is met die van mededingingsbeleid. Volgens vele ekonomiese skrywers is die enigste rasionele ekonomiese regverdiging vir teen-stortingsmaatreëls predatoriese storting as ‘n uiterse vorm van prysdiskriminasie. Afgesien van die dramatiese verandering in die ekonomiese regverdiging vir die gebruik van teen-storingsmaatreëls oor die laaste dekades, het daar ook ‘n beduidende verandering plaasgevind in die lande wat hierdie maatreëls om goedere handel implementeer. Sedert die Uruguay Rondte van Multi-laterale Handelsooreenkomste het daar ‘n verskuiwing plaasgevind van ontwikkelde lande na ontwikkellende lande as die belangrikste gebruikers van hierdie beleidsinstrumente. In die laaste paar jaar het private firmas die lidlande van die Suider-Afrikaanse Doeane-Unie onder toenemede druk begin plaas vir die gebruik van teen-storingsmaatreëls op invoere vanaf die res van die streek. Alhoewel, huidiglik is die toepaslikehid van die gebruik van hierdie maatreëls op handel, in die konteks van ‘n doeane-unie, steeds ‘n omstrede kwessie binne ekonomiese dabatte. Hierdie maatreëls rig handelsversperrings tussen lidlande op wat teen die basiese veronderstelling van ‘n doeane-unie is. As gevolg hiervan is die meeste ekonome van die opinie dat teen-storingsmaatreëls vervang moet word met óf gekoördineerde binnelandse of geharmoniseerde streeks- mededingingsbeleid. Die SADU-lidlande kan twee benaderings volg in die ontwikkeling van streeks- en nasionale beleid oor teen-storingsmaatreëls. Die eerste is the insluiting van verskillende mededingingsbeginsels in bepalings wat handel oor teen-storingsmaatreëls om sodoende die moontlike negatiewe gevolge van hierdie maatreëls te beperk. Die tweede opsie is om teen-storingsmaatreëls op streeks-invoere met bededingingsbeleid te vervang. Die mees gepasde opsie sal af hang van die verskillende standpunte rondom die toepaslikheid van teen-stortingsmaatreëls in ‘n doeane-unie. Alhoewel, ongeag die beleidskombinasie wat gekies word sal nasionale en streeks-beleid en owerhede geskep, aangepas en/of gewysig moet word ten einde ‘n effektiewe interaksie tussen teen-storingsmaatreëls en mededingingsbeleid binne SADU te verseker.

Thesis (PhD (Economics))--University of Stellenbosch, 2008. / The primary financial objective of a firm is the maximisation of its shareholders’ value. A problem faced by the shareholders of a firm is that it is difficult to determine the effect of management decisions on the future share returns of the firm. Furthermore, it may be necessary to implement certain monitoring costs to ensure that management is focused on achieving this objective. A firm would, therefore, benefit from being able to identify those financial performance measures that are able to link the financial performance of the firm to its share returns. Implementing such a financial performance measure in the valuation and reward systems of a firm should ensure that management is aligned with the objective of shareholder value maximisation, and rewarded for achieving it. A large number of traditional financial performance measures have been developed. These measures are often criticised for excluding a firm’s cost of capital, and are considered inappropriate to be used when evaluating value creation. Furthermore, it is argued that these measures are based on accounting information, which could be distorted by Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (GAAP). Studies investigating the relationship between these measures and share returns also provide conflicting results. As a result of the perceived limitations of traditional measures, value based financial performance measures were developed. The major difference between the traditional and value based measures is that the value based measures include a firm’s cost of capital in their calculation. They also attempt to remove some of the accounting distortions resulting from GAAP. Proponents of the value based measures present these measures as a major improvement over the traditional financial performance measures and report high levels of correlation between the measures and share returns. A number of studies containing contradictory results have been published. On the basis of these conflicting results it is not clear whether the value based measures are able to outperform the traditional financial performance measures in explaining share returns. The primary objectives of this study are thus to: • Determine the relationship between the traditional measures earnings before extraordinary items (EBEI) and cash from operations (CFO), and shareholder value creation; • Investigate the value based measures residual income (RI), economic value added (EVA), cash value added (CVA) and cash flow return on investments (CFROI), and to determine their relationship with the creation of shareholder value; • Evaluate the incremental information content of the value based measures above the traditional measures. The information content of the traditional measures and the value based measures are evaluated by employing an approach developed by Biddle, Bowen and Wallace (1997). The first phase of this approach entails the evaluation of the relative information content of the various measures in order to determine which measure explains the largest portion of a firm’s market-adjusted share returns. The second phase consists of an evaluation of the incremental information content of the components of a measure in order to determine whether the inclusion of an additional component contributes statistically significant additional information beyond that contained in the other components. The study is conducted for South African industrial firms listed on the Johannesburg Securities Exchange for the period 1991 to 2005. The data required to calculate the measures investigated in the study are obtained from the McGregor BFA database. This database contains annual standardised financial statements for listed and delisted South African firms. It also contains EVA, cost of capital and invested capital amounts for those firms listed at the end of the research period. Including only these listed firms in the research sample would expose the study to a survivorship bias. Hence these values are estimated for those firms that delisted during the period under review by employing a similar approach to the one used in the database. The resulting sample consists of 364 firms providing 3181 complete observations. Since different information is required to calculate the various measures included in the study, different samples are compiled from this initial sample and included in the tests conducted to evaluate the information content of the measures. The results of this study indicate that the value based measures are not able to outperform EBEI in the majority of the relative information content tests. Furthermore, the measures EVA, CVA and CFROI are also not able to outperform the relatively simple value based measure RI. The results from the incremental information content tests indicate that although some of the components of the value based measures provide statistically significant incremental information content, the level of significance for these relatively complex adjustments is generally low. Based on these results, the claims made by the proponents of the value based measures cannot be supported. Furthermore, if a firm intends to incorporate its cost of capital in its financial performance measures, the measure RI provides most of the benefits contained in the other more complex value based measures.

Thesis (MComm)--University of Stellenbosch, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The legalisation of gambling in South Africa was perceived by many as an unnecessary vice that would bring social decay in a country that is already battling to cope with a wide array of social woes, such as unemployment, crime, etc. Anti gambling protestors argued that South African society is not sufficiently developed to cope with an industry that diverts money from normal household budgetary expenditure patterns to the many forms of gambling that suddenly became legal. Protestors also argued that gambling tax is just another tax on an already overtaxed society. Many of these arguments were justified and the legalisation of gambling was clearly an issue, which had to be dealt with carefully. Politicians, the custodians of a well-managed political system through pro-active policies that will be to the benefit of a country and its people were in a particularly difficult position with the creation of a legalized gambling industry and had to weigh policy between the advantage of additional tax revenue and the disadvantage of adding to the social ills of South African society. In terms of the Constitution of South Africa gambling was a concurrent competence and the respective provinces had an opportunity to develop gambling policy that will be beneficial to the relevant province. Although the national Gambling Act provided the broad parameters in which provincial legislation had to be developed, provinces had ample opportunity to be innovative in respect of provincial gambling legislation. After the legalisation of gambling provinces moved quickly to ensure that casinos were developed, mainly to create a larger revenue base through gambling tax. Most provinces were cash-strapped, as their share of the national budget was not sufficient to deal with the long list of provincial development priorities. A way had to be found to supplement the national government contributions and gambling tax was an attractive option. The Western Cape Province moved somewhat slower in the promulgation of provincial gambling legislation. There was a clear realisation that gambling was going to have a massive social impact on the population of the Western Cape and therefore had a clear objective to find ways to develop casinos in such a way that it would offset the negative impact of gambling. This thesis did not place any emphasis on the quantification of the social impact (such as lack of productivity, loss of employment, bankruptcy, domestic violence, divorce, etc). The objective was to show that the allocation of a gambling licence could be used to create infrastructure that is not linked or related to a casino. Such infrastructure is normally in high demand in cities or regions, which are emerging as tourist destinations, but the infrastructure would not be developed by the government, as the capital cost is too high, nor by the private sectors as the profit margins are too low. The Western Cape used its allocation of five casino licences in terms of the National Gambling Act to create an impact on the whole of the region by dividing the province into five regions and allocating a casino licence to each of the regions. Since 1994 Cape Town and the Western Cape have gained prominence internationally as a tourist destination. It was soon clear that the city and region would not be able to cope with the influx of tourists due to a lack of hotel rooms and other tourism infrastructure. It was also clear that the tourism industry would not show the required growth without facilities, such as a convention centres. It is particularly a convention centre that became an urgent element in Cape Town as convention business has become a rapidly growing business with a potentially significant impact in terms of convention expenditure and the resulting economic impact on a city. The Western Cape developed gambling policy determinations made it clear that in the case of the five regions, casino bid companies were obliged to include tourism infrastructure that would add value to a particular region. It was made clear that such infrastructure should not necessarily be linked with a casino and could be off-site. The policy determinations were clear in its stipulations that stand-alone casinos would not be entertained in the adjudication process. The development of an international convention centre became an important criterion in the allocation of a casino licence in the Cape Metropole. Although casino bid companies included different kinds of infrastructure in their bids (mostly projects that would have a positive impact on tourism) the development of an international convention centre became a strong factor and the casino licence for the Cape Metropole was allocated to the company that included the development of an international convention centre in the their casino bid application. Although convention centers are rarely profitable they are known to change the face of cities and regions in terms of their economic impact, not only the impact in terms of urban renewal opportunity, but also attracting domestic and international convention center delegate expenditure and the expenditure on hotels, food and beverage, transport, and general tourism expenditure. The direct, indirect and induced economic impact of this expenditure in the Western Cape and Cape Town result in the off-setting of the negative social impact and ensure that the benefits of the legalisation of gambling is extended to projects that would be unlikely developments in the absence of a casino licence allocated. The study undertaken demonstrates the economic impact (direct, indirect and induced) of the Cape Town International Convention Centre. It also shows the impact of the center on the promotion of tourism, including convention center delegates returning to the Western Cape for leisure purposes in the future. It culminates in the conclusion that the allocation of a casino licence should not only be the development of a stand-alone casino, but also the creation of tourism infrastructure that offsets the negative impact of gambling. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die wettiging van die dobbelindustrie was deur baie mense gesien as ‘n onnodige euwel wat net sou bydra tot sosiale verval in ‘n land wat reeds gebuk gaan onder ‘n wye verskeidenheid sosiale probleme, soos werkloosheid, misdaad, ens. Anti-dobbel stemme het argumenteer dat die Suid-Afrikaanse gemeenskap is nie genoegsaam ontwikkel om ‘n industrie te hanteer wat geld kanaliseer vanaf normale huishoudelike besteding na die vorme van dobbel wat gewettig is nie. Anti-dobbel stemme het verder genoem dat dobbel net ‘n verdere belasting is in ‘n gemeenskap wat reeds oorbelas is. Baie van hierdie argumente het gewig gedra en die wettiging van die dobbelindustrie was duidelik ‘n kwessie wat versigtig hanteer moes word. Politici, die beskermhere van ‘n gesonde politieke bestel deur pro-aktiewe beleidstappe wat tot voordeel van ‘n land en sy mense behoort te wees, was in ‘n besondere politieke dilemma met die wettiging van die dobbelindustrie en moes die voordele van verdere belastinginkomste in ag neem saam met die sosiale nadele wat die industrie sou skep. Volgens die Konstitusie van Suid-Afrika is dobbel ‘n konkurente verantwoordelikheid en die onderskeie provinsies kon provinsiale dobbelbeleid ontwikkel volgens provinsiale vereistes. Alhoewel die nasionale wetgewing die oorhoofse raamwerk skep vir provinsiale wetgewing, het provinsies die geleentheid gehad om innoverend te wees met die ontwikkeling van provinsiale wetgewing. Na die wettiging van die dobbelindustrie het provinsies vinnig opgetree om casinos te ontwikkel, hoofsaaklik om ‘n groter belastingbasis te ontwikkel deur die toepassing van wetgewing. Die meeste provinsies ondervind ‘n tekort aan inkomste, aangesien die inkomstetoedeling vanaf die nasionale regering nie genoegsaam is om aandag te gee aan ‘n lang lys van ontwikkelingsprioritiete nie. ‘n Weg moes gevind word om provinsiale inkomste aan te vul en dobbelbelasting was ‘n aantreklike opsie. Die Wes-Kaap Provinsie het ‘n meer geduldige pad geloop in die promulgering van dobbelwetgewing. Daar was ‘n duidelike besef dat dobbel ‘n massiewe negatiewe sosiale impak in die Wes-Kaap sou teweeg bring en was daarvan oortuig dat ‘n weg gevind moes word om die negatiewe sosiale impak minder te maak. Die tesis het nie die klem geplaas op die kwantifisering van die negatiewe impak (soos byvoorbeeld die gebrek aan produktiwiteit, verlies aan werkgeleenthede, bankrotskappe, huishoudlike geweld, egskeidings, ens) nie. Die doel was om te demonstreer dat die toekenning van ‘n casino dobbellisensie gebruik kan word om infrastruktuur te skep wat nie direk verwant is aan ‘n casino nie. Sodanige infrastruktuur is gewoonlik in aanvraag in stede en streke wat ontluik as toerismbestemmings, maar hierdie tipe toerisme-infrastruktuur sal nie deur die regering ontwikkel word nie weens ‘n tekort aan die nodige fondse, maar ook nie deur die privaatsektor nie weens die gebrek aan aantreklike winsmarges. Die Wes-Kaap Provinsie het die vyf casinolisensies wat aan die provinsie toegedeel is in terme van die Nationale Dobbelwet gebruik om ‘n impak in die hele Provinsie te maak deur die Provinsie in vyf streke te verdeel met ‘n lisensie toegedeel aan elk van hierdie streke. Kaapstad en die Wes-Kaap het sedert 1994 internasionale prominensie verkry as ‘n internasional toerismebestemming. Dit was egter gou duidelik dat die stad en die streek nie die verwagte stroom van toeriste sal kan hanteer met die gebrek aan hotelkamers en ander toerismeinfrastruktuur nie. Die toerismesektor sal ook in gebreke bly om te groei sonder ander fasilitiete soos ‘n internasionale konferensiesentrum. Die gebrek aan ‘n internasionale konferensiesentrum het gelei daartoe dat Kaapstad konferensies begin verloor het weens die gebrek aan voldoende fasiliteite. Die internasionale konferensie-industrie toon uitstekende geleenthede vir ekonomiese groei deur die konferensieganger besteding en die impak op die ekonomie van Kaapstad en die Wes-Kaap. Die Wes-Kaap het dobbelkriteria ontwikkel wat dit duidelik gemaak het dat casino lisensie-aansoekers daartoe verplig was om toerismeinfrastruktuur by hulle aansoek in te sluit wat sou bydra tot die waardetoevoeging in die onderskeie streke. Dit is ook duidelik gemaak dat sodanige infrastruktuur nie noodwendig fisies aan ‘n casino gekoppel hoef te wees nie en kon ook weg van die casino perseel ontwikkel word. Die beleidskriteria het dit verder ook duidelik gemaak dat alleenstaande casinos nie oorweeg sou word nie. Die ontwikkeling van ‘n internasionale konferensiesentrum het ‘n belangrike beleidsoorweging geword in die toekenning van ‘n casinolisensie in die Kaapse Metropool. Alhoewel casino maatskappye ‘n verskeidenheid infrastruktuurelemente in hul aansoeke ingesluit het (meesal projekte wat ‘n positiewe impak op toerisme sou teweeg bring) het die ontwikkeling van ‘n konferensiesentrum ‘n uiters belangrike oorweging geword in die toekenning van ‘n casino lisensie en die lisensie vir die Kaapse Metropool is derhalwe toegeken aan die maatskappy wat die ontwikkeling van ‘n konferensiesentrum in die suksesvolle aansoek ingesluit het. Alhoewel konferensiesentrums byna nooit winsgewend is nie, skep sodanige sentrums die moontlikheid van stedelike vernuwing en ‘n ekonomiese impak deur die besteding van konferensegangers op hotelle, voedsel, drank, vervoer en algemene toerismebesteding. Die direkte, indirekte en geleide ekonomies impak van hierdie besteding lei daartoe dat die negatiewe sosiale impak afgeskaal word en lei derhalwe daartoe dat die voordele van die wettiging van dobbel verder gevoer word deur projekte wat onwaarskynlik sou wees in die afwesigheid van die toekenning van ‘n casinolisensie. Hierdie studie demonstreer die ekonomiese impak (direk, indirek en geleide) van die Kaapse Internasionale Konferensiesentrum. Die studie demonstreer verder die impak van die studie op die bevordering van toerisme , insluitende konferensiegangers wat na Kaapstad terugkeer vir vakansiedoeleindes. Hierdie impak kulmineer in die gevolgtrekking dat die toekenning van ‘n casinolisensie behoort nie net te lei tot die ontwikkeling van ‘n alleenstaande casino nie, maar ook die ontwikkeling van toerismeinfrastruktuur wat daartoe lei dat die negatiewe sosiale impak afgeskaal word.

Thesis (MComm)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The many and varied links between student socioeconomic status and educational outcomes have been well documented in the South African economics of education literature. The strong legacy of apartheid and the consequent correlation between education and wealth have meant that, generally speaking, poorer learners perform worse academically. The links between affluence and educational quality in South Africa can partially explain this outcome since the poor receive a far inferior quality of education when compared to their wealthier counterparts. This disadvantages them in the labourmarket and entrenches their poverty. This thesis uses the recent Southern and Eastern African Consortium for Monitoring Educational Quality (SACMEQ III) dataset for South Africa to answer three important questions: (1) Is South African primary education efficient? (2) Is South African primary education equitable? and (3) What are the main factors that have a significant effect on student mathematics and reading performance in Grade 6. The thesis shows that a high proportion of the country’s learners are functionally illiterate and functionally innumerate. The research confirms previous findings that socio-economic status, and particularly school socioeconomic status, is important when understanding student success or failure. Other factors which significantly affect student performance are homework frequency, grade repetition, and the availability of reading textbooks. In contrast, teacher-subject knowledge was found to have only a modest impact on Grade 6 performance. Policy interventions associated with the findings are also highlighted. The study concludes that South Africa is still a tale of two school sub-systems: one which is wealthy, functional and able to educate students, while the other is poor, dysfunctional, and unable to equip students with the necessary numeracy and literacy skills they should be acquiring in primary school. Finally, the thesis suggests that there are some options available to policy-makers which are expected to have a positive effect on learner performance. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die vele en diverse verbande tussen studente se sosio-ekonomiese status en onderwysuitkomste is goed gedokumenteer in die Suid-Afrikaanse literatuur oor die ekonomie van onderwys. Die sterk nalatenskap van apartheid en die gevolglike korrelasie tussen onderwys en rykdom beteken dat armer leerlinge in die algemeen akademies swakker vaar. Die verband tussen welvaart en onderwysgehalte in Suid-Afrika kan hierdie uitkoms gedeeltelik verklaar, omdat arm mense ʼn veel swakker gehalte van onderwys ontvang as rykes. Dit plaas hulle in ʼn swakker posisie in die arbeidsmark en bevestig daarmee hulle armoede. Die tesis gebruik die onlangse SACMEQ III datastel vir Suid-Afrika (SACMEQ is die akroniem vir die Southern and Eastern African Consortium for Monitoring Educational Quality) om drie belangrike vrae te beantwoord: (1) Is Suid-Afrikaanse primêre skole doeltreffend? (2) Is Suid-Afrikaanse primêre onderwys regverdig verdeel? (3) Wat is die belangrikste faktore wat studente se wiskunde en leesvermoë in Graad 6 beduidend beïnvloed? Die tesis toon dat ʼn groot proporsie van die land se leerlinge funksioneel ongeletterd en ongesyferd is. Die navorsing bevestig vorige bevindinge dat sosio-ekonomiese status, en veral die sosioekonomiese status van die skoolgemeenskap, ʼn belangrike bepaler van studente se sukses is. Ander faktore wat studente se prestasie beduidend beïnvloed is hoe gereeld hulle huiswerk doen, of hulle die graad herhaal, en die beskikbaarheid van handboeke. In teenstelling daarmee is bevind dat onderwysers se vakkennis net ʼn beskeie impak op Graad 6 prestasie het. Daar is ook klem op beleidsingrypings wat uit die bevindinge spruit. Die studie kom tot die gevolgtrekking dat Suid- Afrikaanse onderwys steeds die storie van twee sub-stelsels is: een wat ryk is, goed funksioneer en in staat is om studente ʼn goeie opvoeding te bied, terwyl skole in die ander deel van die stelsel arm is, wanfunksioneel, en die vermoë ontbreek om studente toe te rus met die syfer- en leesvaardighede wat skole hulle behoort te bied. Ten slotte identifiseer die tesis opsies vir beleidmakers wat leerlinge se prestasie sou kon verbeter.

Thesis (MComm (Education))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / In enquiring after the best means of financing basic local services in South Africa, the thesis begins by reviewing the arguments for fiscal decentralisation and the efficiency criteria for expenditure and revenue assignment. The role of local government within South Africa’s system of intergovernmental fiscal relations is then evaluated. A chapter is devoted to the efficient pricing of infrastructure for household services. However, it is emphasised that such pricing is unlikely to meet equity criteria for access and affordability. The equity aspect of providing basic local services is explored further from the perspective of South African Constitutional obligations and the current basic services policy framework. A concluding chapter discusses issues arising out of the work and provides some recommendations.

Thesis (MComm)--Stellenbosch University, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Using the conceptual framework of the human development approach as proposed by Amartya Sen, this dissertation attempts to measure the absolute and relative development status of Western Cape farm workers for 1996 and 2001. The dissertation begins by presenting a critical analysis of the traditional neo-classical model of development, and goes further to demonstrate how, from the early 1970s, the validity of this model was increasingly questioned by the broader development fraternity and eventually supplanted by the human development approach in the 1990s. The human development approach is based on two conceptual roots namely; social exclusion theory and the capability model of Amartya Sen. Social exclusion theory identifies important themes such as gender and culture which the neo-classical development approach failed to reflect in its theoretical and methodological structures while the capability model establishes the philosophical and theoretical foundations of human development. More specifically it clarifies the question: 'what is wellbeing, how do we measure it and how is it linked to development and poverty? From the perspective of the human development approach, wellbeing is about being able to exercise economic, social and political choice or freedom. These freedoms are labelled capabilities and are they are derived from functioning choices. A functioning represents different aspects of the state of a person, and can either be an activity such as working or a state of existence such as being educated. A functioning is an achievement whereas a capability is the possible options or choices open to a person. It is on the basis of a person's capability set that an evaluation of their level of wellbeing is possible. The human development approach therefore measures development in terms of capabilities The key methodological challenges related to measuring development in terms of human capabilities are numerous. The theory of human development does not specify which capabilities to include when measuring poverty or wellbeing, in addition it provides no method to rank capabilities. Capabilities can simultaneously expand in some areas while contract in others. Because there is no method of ranking capabilities it is impossible to conclude whether on balance, development has taken place. Finally on a practical level the data requirements to measure wellbeing in a multivariate way are significant and are more often than not based on detailed household socio-economic surveys that are not easily replicated over time. For these reasons, while development economists endorse the theory of human development on an ideological and strategic level, methodologically there is still a tendency to measure it in terms of income levels. Despite these challenges a number of empirical applications of the human development approach have emerged in recent years and a cross-section of these studies is described as part of this dissertation. The main methodological issues that have to be confronted when operationalising the human development approach are also documented while the appropriateness of using the theory of fuzzy sets to measure vague concepts such as poverty and wellbeing, is emphasized. Drawing on data from the 1996 and 2001 Population Census this dissertation confronts these measurement challenges and by limiting the analysis to 6 functionings namely; housing, housing services, education, health, social relations, employment and economic achievements, attempts to measure the overall development status of Western Cape farm workers. By comparing this result with the achievement of other labour groups such as the unemployed and workers employed elsewhere in the economy it is also possible to conclude on their relative development status. With respect to functioning achievement (measured as fuzzy scores), in 2001 farm workers scored the lowest of all the labour groups in terms of housing services, social relations and education achievement. In terms of their access to economic resources, while farm workers individual and household monthly income levels exceeded that of the unemployed - their fuzzy score was roughly half of that achieved by workers in other sectors. These various functionings were weighted and aggregated to arrive at an overall wellbeing indicator, and almost no difference could be detected in the score achieved by farm workers and the unemployed. This result was found to be relatively insensitive to the weight assigned to a particular functioning. While there is almost no difference in the overall level of human development "enjoyed" by farm workers and the unemployed, a large difference was found between farm workers and other workers in the economy. It can be argued that this discrepancy is indicative of the high concentration of unskilled workers found in the agricultural sector. However when occupation was brought into consideration, a relatively large discrepancy in development levels between farm workers and employed unskilled workers, could still be detected. In terms of gender, overall women farm workers scored slightly higher than men, however in terms of personal income they scored considerably lower than men. This difference could not be attributed to differences in the number of hours worked per week and confirms the findings of other studies that showed that women farm workers do not receive equal wages for equal work effort. In terms of development status, the results generated by the 1996 population census, were consistent with 2001 however, here farm workers scored poorly in terms of the housing, housing services, education and social relations functioning. It was only with respect to the employment and economic resources functionings that farm workers ranked above the unemployed. By applying the frequency-based membership functions generated for 1996 to the 2001 data set, it was possible to detect absolute changes in development status that took place between 1996 and 2001. Relative to the other labour groups, farm workers consistently exhibited the highest rate of progress. Education, social relations and housing services functionings scores in 2001, were 20% higher than 1996 levels. Key Words: Poverty, development, wellbeing, human development approach, capabilities, functionings, fuzzy sets, Western Cape, Western Cape agriculture, farm workers / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die konseptuele raamwerk van die menslike ontwikkelings benadering, soos uiteengesit deur Amartya Sen, dien as vertrekpunt vir hierdie navorsing. Die navorsing poog om die absoluute and relatiewe ontwikkelingsvlak van Wes Kaapse plaaswerkers vir 1996 en 2001, te meet. 'n Kritiese ontleding van die neoklassieke model van ontwikkeling word geskets, en daama gaan die analise verder om te bewys hoe die ontwikkelingsdenkskool as geheel, vanaf die laat 1970s, die geldigheid van hierdie model bevraagteken het. Hierdie model was uiteindelik in die vroee 1990s vervang deur die menslike ontwikkelingsbenadering. Die menslike ontwikkelingsbenadering is gebaseer op twee konseptuele wortels naamlik; sosiale uitsluitingsteorie en die vermoensmodel van Amartya Sen. Die sosiale uitsluitingsteorie identifiseer belangrike temas soos geslag en kultuur wat die neoklassieke model nagelaat het om te inkorporeer in sy teoretiese en metodologiese struktuur, terwyl die vermoensmodel, die filosofiese and teoretiese fondasie van die menslike ontwikkelingsbenadering vasstel. Meer spesifiek dit verhelder die vraag "wat is welvaart, hoe meet ons dit en wat is die verband tussen ontwikkeling en armoede". Van uit die perspektief van die mens like ontwikkelingsbenadering, gaan welvaart oor die uitoefening van ekonomiese, sosiale en politiese keuses of vryhede. Hierdie vryhede is genoem vermoens en is afgelei vanaf verrigtingskeuses. 'n Verrigting reflekteer verskillende aspekte van 'n person en kan 'n aktiwitiet wees soos werk of 'n stand van bestaan soos geletteredheid. 'n Verrigting is 'n prestasie terwyl 'n vermoe is die reeks moontlike opsies of keuses is wat 'n persoon teekom. Dit is op die basis van 'n persoon se vermoens stel, dat 'n evaluasie van sy vlak van welvaart moontlik is. Dus meet die menslike ontwikkelingsbenadering ontwikkeling in terme van vermoens. Daar is baie metodologiese struikelblokke wat oorkom moet word voordat ontwikkeling in terme van menslike vermoens gemeet kan word. Die teorie van menslike onwikkeling spesifiseer nie watter vermoens ingesluit moet wees by die meting van armoede of welvaart nie. V erder is daar geen metode om vermoens te rangskik nie. V ermoens kan gelyktydig groei in een area en krimp in 'n ander. Omdat geen metode bestaan om vermoens te rangskik nie, is dit onmoontlik om vas te stel of ontwikkeling wel plaas gevind het. Op 'n praktiese vlak, die data of inligtingsbehoefte om welvaart op 'n veelsydige manier te meet, is groot. Dit is normal weg gebaser op gedetailleerde huishoudelike sosio-ekonomies vraelyste wat nie maklik herhaalbaar is oor tyd nie. Vir hierdie redes, terwyl ontwikkelingsekonoome die teorie van menslike ontwikkeling op beide ideologiese en strategiese vlak aanvaar, bestaan daar nog altyd die geneigdheid om dit te meet in terme van inkomste. Ongeag hierdie uitdagings, het 'n hoeveelheid empiriese toepassings van die menslike ontwikkelingsbenadering wel na vore gekom en 'n deursnee hiervan is beskryf as deel van hierdie navorsing. Die hoof metodologiese vraagstukke wat uitgestryk moet word voordat die menslike ontwikkelingsbenadering prakties toegepas kan word, is uiteengesit. Die toepaslikheid van die teorie van "fuzzy sets", om vae konsepte soos armoed en welvaart te meet, is ook beklemtoon. Die resultate van die 1996 en 2001 bevolkingssensus word hi er gebruik om hierdie meetingsuitdaging te konfronter. Die analise word beperk tot net ses verrigtinge naamelik; behuising, behuisingsdienste, opvoeding, gesondheid, sosiale verhoudings, indiensneming en ekonomiese prestasie. Hiermee probeer die narvorsing die algehele ontwikkelingsstatus van die Wes Kaapse plaaswerkers meet. Hierdie resultate word direk vergelyk met die resultate van ander werkersgroepe soos die werkloses en werkers in ander sektore van die ekonomie, om die relatiewe ontwikkelingsstatus van plaaswerkers vas te stel. In terme van hulle verrigtingsprestasie (gemeet in terme van "fuzzy scores") in 2001 het plaaswerkers die laagste van al die werkersgroepe gevaar wat betref behuising, sosiale verhoudings en opvoedingsvlakke. In terme van toegang tot ekonomiese goedere, terwyl plaaswekers se individuele en huishoudelike maandelikse inkomste vlakke die van die werkloses veebygesteek het, was hulle telling die helfte van dit wat werkers in andere sektore behaal het. Hierdieverrigtings prestasies was geweeg en bymekaar getel om n algehele welvaartsindeks te bereken. Dit was bevind dat hierdie resultaat relatief ongevoelig was tot gewigsmetodologie. Terwyl daar amper geen verskil was tussen die vlak van ontwikkeling van plaaswerkers en die van werkloses nie, is 'n goot verskil tussen plaaswerkers en ander werkers in die ekonomie gevind Hierdie verskil kon nie toegekryf word aan die groot konsentrasies van onopgeleide werkers werksaam in die landbou sektor nie. As beroep in ag geneem word, bly daar nog altyd 'n verskil tussen plaaswerkers en ander onopgeleide werkers. In terme van geslag, het vroulike plaaswerkers, oor die algemeen beter gevaar as manlike werkers, alhoewel hulle in terme van persoonlike inkomste agter gebly het. Hierdie verskil kon nie toegeskryf wees aan die hoeveelheid ure gewerk per week nie en bevestig die bevindinge van ander navorsingsresultate wat gewys het dat vroulike plaaswerkes nie gelyke lone verdien vir dieselfde werk nie. In terme van ontwikkelingsvlakke, stem die 1996 resultate met die van 2001 ooreen. In 1996 het plaaswerker slegter gevaar in behuising, behuisingsdienste, opvoeding en sosisale verhoudings verrigtinge. Die was alleenlik in terme van indiensneming en ekonomiese verrigtinge dat plaaswerkes bo die werkloses gerang het. Deur middel van die toepassing van die 1996 lidmaatskapsvergelyking op die 2001 datastel, was dit moontlik om die absolute verandering in ontwikkelingsstatus van Wes Kaapse plaaswerkers te meet. Relatief tot die ander werkersgroepe, het plaaswerkers die vinnigste voorsprong gemaak. In 2001 was opvoeding, sosiale verhoudinge en die behuisings verrigting, 20% hoer as die van 1996. Sleutelterme: armoede, ontwikkeling, welvaart, menslike ontwikkelings benaadering, vermoens, verrigtinge, "functionings", "fuzzy sets", Wes-Kaap, Wes-Kaapse landbou, plaaswerkers

Study project (MEcon) -- University of Stellenbosch, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This assignment explains the search for a mechanism that can increase tourism flow by improved utilisation of airline capacity. The inherent characteristics of air transport indicate that the industry is subject to low short term marginal costs and that it is very tempting to award discount tariffs for last minute bookings. The challenge to management is to attract new passengers with discount tariffs without loosing full tariff passengers. Travel clubs are one of the mechanisms that are utilised to achieve aforementioned objective. These clubs offer mainly discount tariffs on hotel accommodation, car hire and airline tickets to their members. The acceptability of a travel club that applies restricting measures such as for example short notice periods, adaptable depart and return dates and shortened lead times have been tested in the South African market. The majority of respondents surveyed were in favour of such a travel club. An important finding is that South Africans are prepared to travel in a chosen month but that the travel dates within that month are adaptable in exchange for discount tariffs. The research also indicate that the availability of funds was decisive in the decision to travel or not to travel over seas. In order to overcome this problem the introduction of a providence account is recommended as part of the travel club's products. The challenge for the travel club is thus to consolidate the demand and to match it with the excess airline capacity. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie werkstuk beskryf die soeke na 'n meganisme wat toerismevloei kan verhoog deur die verbeterde kapasiteitsbenutting van lugvervoer. Die inherente kenmerke van lugvervoer toon dat die bedryf onderhewig is aan lae korttermyn marginale koste en dat die versoeking groot is om afslagtariewe vir op die nippertjie besprekings toe te staan. Die uitdaging vir die bestuur is om nuwe passasiers met afslagtariewe te lok sonder om voltariefpassasiers prys te gee. Reisklubs is een van die meganismes wat gebruik word om die voorgenoemde doelwit te bereik. Hierdie klubs bied hoofsaaklik afslagtariewe op hotelverblyf, motorhuur en vliegtuigkaartjies aan hul lede. Die aanvaarbaarheid van 'n reisklub wat beperkende rnaatreels soos, byvoorbeeld, kort kennisgewingstydperke, aanpasbare vertrek en terugkeer datums en verkorte leityd toepas, is in die Suid-Afrikaanse mark getoets. Die meerderheid van respondente in die ondersoek was ten gunste van so 'n reisklub. 'n 8elangrike bevinding is dat Suid-Afrikaners bereid is om in 'n gekose maand te reis, maar dat die spesifieke reisdatums in daardie maand aanpasbaar is in ruil vir afslagtariewe. Die navorsing toon ook dat die beskikbaarheid van fondse deurslaggewend is in die besluit om oorsee te reis of nie. Om hierdie probleem te oorkom word die instelling van 'n voorsieningsrekening aanbeveel as dee I van die reisklub se produkte. Die uitdaging aan die reisklub is dus om die vraag te konsolideer en dan af te stem op die oormaatkapasiteit van die lugrederye.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis focuses on the extent to which the South African social security system succeeds in providing protection in the vulnerable periods of the life-cycle and against the major contingencies of unemployment, disability and disease. Through a detailed examination of the different social insurance and assistance programmes, it isolates which particular population segments (by occupation, income quintile and race group) "fall through the cracks" in the provision of income security. It does not look only at the articulation between different social insurance and social assistance programmes, but also acknowledges how social security complements other governmental interventions, such as social services, and non-state sources of income security, such as those provided by the private insurance market and the family and community. Part One of the thesis is devoted to an examination of social insurance in South Africa, in other words, to those programmes that seek to compensate for a loss of income in the event of particular contingencies and that are funded by contributions from employers and employees. In addition, theoretical perspectives on social security, and social insurance in particular, are provided, with a discussion of the various economic arguments in favour of and against the provision of social security. Part Two of the thesis examines the range of non-contributory social assistance - cash benefits paid form general revenue - that are available to South Africans who qualify in terms of the means tests. Each chapter provides an analysis of the extent to which the social assistance programme under analysis provides a safety net for the relevant category of vulnerable people. It does this by examining the appropriateness of the programme structure, take-up rates and the fiscal sustainability of the programmes. In addition, the budgetary process by which revenue is allocated to social assistance programmes and expenditure trends are examined. The thesis concludes that although the South African social security system has achieved a fairly advanced level of development and covers a fairly wide range of risks, there are a number of constraints facing its further expansion. Social insurance schemes provide generous benefits, but their membership is restricted to the employed. Expanding coverage by social insurance would require substantial growth in remunerative employment which, given prevailing labour market conditions, seems unlikely. The provision of more generous social assistance programmes catering for a broader range of contingencies is severely curtailed by already high fiscal expenditure on welfare and macroeconomic constraints. Moreover, changing demography, household structures and dependency burdens, especially as the HIV/AIDS epidemic spreads, seem likely to increase demands on social assistance programmes. Consequently, until employment can be expanded so that more people can contribute to their own income security, the informal social security provided by the family and/or community will remain the first line of support for many. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In hierdie tesis word gefokus op die mate waartoe die Suid-Afrikaanse bestaansbeveiligingstelsel daarin slaag om ondersteuning tydens kwesbare periodes in die lewensiklus en beskerming teen groot gebeurlikhede soos werkloosheid, ongeskiktheid of langdurige siekte te bied. Daardie bevolkingsegmente (volgens beroep, inkomstegroep of ras) wat nie volledig toegang tot inkomstesekuriteit het nie, word uitgesonder deur 'n gedetaileerde ondersoek van die verskillende maatskaplike versekerings- en bystandsprogramme. Daar word ook gekyk na die artikulasie tussen die verskillende programme sowel as na hoe ander regeringsintervensies (bv. verskaffing van maatskaplike dienste) en private bronne van inkomstesekuriteit - verskaf deur die privaat versekeringsmark, die gemeenskap en die familie - deur maatskaplike bystand aangevul word. Deel Een word gewyaan 'n ondersoek van maatskaplike versekering in Suid-Afrika - daardie programme wat vir inkomsteverlies weens spesifieke gebeurlikhede probeer kompenseer en wat tipies deur bydraes van werkgewers en werknemers befonds word. Teoretiese perspektiewe op bestaansbeveiliging in die algemeen en maatskaplike versekering in besonder word ook verskaf en argumente vir en teen die verskaffing van bestaansbeveiliging word bespreek. Deel Twee ondersoek die reeks nie-bydraende bestaansbeveiligingsprogramme wat uit algemene owerheidsinkomste befonds word, asook bestedingstendense in maatskaplike bystand. Die tesis kom tot die gevolgtrekking dat, alhoewel Suid-Afrikaanse bestaansbeveiliging 'n redelik gevorderde vlak van ontwikkeling bereik het en 'n wye reeks risiko's dek, daar 'n aantal beperkinge op verdere uitbreiding is. Maatskaplike versekeringskemas bied uitgebreide voordele, maar lidmaatskap is tot indiensgeneemdes beperk. Uitbreiding van dekking vereis beduidende groei in formele indiensneming, wat onwaarskynlik lyk, gegewe huidige arbeidsmarktendense. Die verskaffing van gunstiger maatskaplike bystandsprogramme gemik op meer gebeurlikhede word ernstig deur reeds hoë fiskale uitgawes op welsyn en deur makroekonomiese oorweginge beperk. Verder sal veranderende demografiese strukture, huishoudingstrukture en afhanklikheidslaste, veral teen die agtergrond van die toename in HIVNIGS, aansprake op maatskaplike bystandsprogramme vergroot. Gevolglik sal die informele inkomstesekuriteit gebied deur die familie en/of gemeenskap die eerste of enigste ondersteuning vir groot dele van die bevolking bly, totdat indiensneming genoeg uitgebrei kan word sodat meer mense tot hul eie inkomstesekuriteit kan bydra.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Concerns about the sufficiency of freshwater supplies and the impact of water shortages have placed sustainable water management on the global agenda. This is particularly relevant in South Africa, a country with precipitation rates well below the global average and water resources that have become highly polluted. The scarcity of water for consumption use and of unpolluted water bodies as recreational and environmental good highlights the need for an economic analysis of these issues. This dissertation investigates some economic aspects of water management in the South African context in two distinctive parts. Part One (Chapters 2 to 5) aims to provide an understanding of urban water demand and analyses water pricing as demand management tool. Part Two (Chapters 6 and 7) analyses the values people attach to water resources for recreational and environmental purposes. Quantitative methodological approaches are predominantly used to inform an economic perspective on water demand management. The extent of water scarcity is discussed in Chapter Two. South Africa is approaching physical water scarcity, but many poor households do not yet have access to water and basic sanitation facilities, i.e. there is also economic water scarcity. Given this background, Chapter Three focuses on water demand management as part of an integrated water management approach. The role of water prices is discussed, in particular the Increasing Block Tariff (IBT) structure which is predominantly used in South Africa. Chapter Four estimates the price elasticity of demand for water using household water consumption records obtained from the City of Cape Town (CCT). A distinctive feature of this case study is a survey undertaken to collect household information on demographic and water-use characteristics, as water databases are severely lacking in South Africa. The results show water demand to be mostly price inelastic, which concurs with findings from international empirical literature. Furthermore, higher-income households are found to be more sensitive to price changes, thus some reduction in water consumption can be achieved by increasing marginal prices at the upper end of the IBT structure. Chapter Five analyses the IBT structure as a redistributive tool. Particular attention is given to the Free Basic Water policy of South Africa, which allows each household to receive six kilolitres of water free per month. Empirical modelling indicates that the IBT structure in its current form holds limited benefits for the poor, given the state of service delivery in South Africa: the lack of access to the water network prevents the poorest households from being the recipients of the cross-subsidisation occurring in an IBT structure. Part Two studies urban water resources as recreational and environmental goods. The literature review of environmental valuation techniques in Chapter Six places particular emphasis on the Contingent Valuation Method. This method is applied in Chapter Seven, where the value of improving the environmental quality of a freshwater urban lake is analysed in a middle- to low-income urban area. Another survey was undertaken specifically for this purpose of gauging the willingness to pay for improved recreational facilities and water quality of Zeekoevlei. The results show that low-income households do attach value to urban environmental goods, a result which adds to our knowledge of willingness to pay for environmental goods in developing countries. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Besorgdheid oor die toereikenheid van varswaterbronne en die impak van watertekorte het volhoubare waterbestuur op die wêreldagenda geplaas. Dit is veral relevant vir Suid- Afrika, 'n land met neerslagkoerse ver onder die wêreld gemiddelde en waterbronne wat hoogs besoedeld geword het. Die skaarsheid van water vir verbruik en van onbesoedelde waterbronne as ontspannings- en omgewingsproduk, beklemtoon die noodsaaklikheid vir 'n ekonomiese analise van hierdie kwessies. Hierdie proefskrif ondersoek sekere ekonomiese aspekte van waterbestuur in die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks, in twee dele. Deel Een (Hoofstukke Twee tot Vyf) beoog om insig te verskaf oor die stedelike vraag na water en analiseer die prys van water as 'n vraagbestuursmaatstaf. Deel Twee (Hoofstukke Ses en Sewe) ontleed die waarde wat mense heg aan waterbronne vir ontspannings- en omgewingsdoeleindes. Kwantitatiewe metodologiese benaderinge word hoofsaaklik gebruik om 'n ekonomiese perspektief op watervraag bestuur toe te lig. Die omvang van waterskaarsheid in Suid-Afrika word in Hoofstuk Twee bespreek. Hierdie hoofstuk dui aan dat Suid-Afrika besig is om fisiese waterskaarste te bereik, maar die land het ook baie arm huishoudings wat nog nie toegang tot water en basiese sanitasiefasiliteite het nie, dw.s. wat daar is ook ekonomiese waterskaarsheid. Gegewe hierdie agtergrond, fokus Hoofstuk Drie op watervraagbestuur, as deel van 'n geïntegreerde waterbestuursbenadering. Die rol van waterpryse word bespreek, veral die Stygende-Blok-Tarief (SBT) struktuur wat grotendeels in Suid-Afrika gebruik word. Hoofstuk Vier bepaal die pryselastisiteit van vraag vir water met behulp van huishoudelike waterverbruiksdata, verkry vanaf die Stad Kaapstad. 'n Kenmerkende eienskap van hierdie gevallestudie is die ingesamelde huishoudelike inligting oor demografiese en waterverbruik-eienskappe, aangesien daar ‘n groot tekort aan water-databasisse in Suid- Afrika is. Die uitslae toon dat watervraag meestal prysonelasties is, wat ooreenstem met bevindinge van ander empiriese literatuur. Verder word gevind dat hoё-inkomste huishoudings meer sensitief is vir prysveranderinge. Dus sal 'n afname in waterverbruik bewerkstellig kan word deur marginale pryse aan die hoёr kant van die SBT struktuur te verhoog. Hoofstuk Vyf ondersoek die SBT struktuur as 'n effektiewe herverdelingsmaatstaf. Spesifieke aandag word aan die Gratis Basiese Water-beleid van Suid-Afrika geskenk, wat voorsiening maak dat elke huishouding ses kiloliter water per maand verniet ontvang. Die bevindinge van empiriese modellering is dat die SBT struktuur, soos dit tans in Suid-Afrika toegepas word, beperkte voordele vir die armes inhou, gegewe die huidige stand van watervoorsiening in Suid-Afrika. As gevolg van die agterstand met betrekking tot toegang tot water, ontvang die heel armes nie die voordele van kruissubsidiёring wat plaasvind onder 'n SBT struktuur nie. Deel Twee bestudeer stedelike waterbronne as ontspannings- en omgewingsprodukte. Hoofstuk Ses verskaf 'n literatuur oorsig oor omgewingswaardasie tegnieke, met 'n spesieke fokus op die Kontingente Waardasie-metode. Hierdie metode word in Hoofstuk Sewe toegepas, waar die waarde van verbeteringe in die omgewingskwaliteit van 'n varswatermeer in 'n middel- tot lae-komste stedelike gebied ondersoek word. Nog 'n opname is gedoen met die doel om die bereidwilligheid om te betaal vir verbeterde ontspanningsfasiliteite en die waterkwaliteit van Zeekoevlei te meet. Die bevindinge toon dat lae-inkomste huishoudings wel waarde heg aan stedelike omgewingsprodukte.